. >> it began with a perfect aaa credit rating for the united states. it ends with a downgraded america. >> the reason the country's debt rating was downgraded is everyone who watches this program and others on msnbc and read the newspapers know, it had a lot to do with the republican congress playing a dangerous game of chicken over the debt, refusing to compromise. here is what he said about the simpson-bowles debt commission. this is again paul ryan skating around the truth. >> he created a new bipartisan debt commission. they came back with an urgent report. he thanked them, sent them on their way, and then did exactly nothing. >> "they, they," the commission. he was on the commission. the fact he leaves out is he actually sat on the commission. paul ryan, that guy there, and voted against his final urgent report and many believed helped bring it all down despite dick durbin voting for it. and tom coburn of oklahoma. mayor, here's a guy that's able to go before the national audience, sort of debuting himself, and presents himself as someone who isn'